Materials Paper plates Markers / Paint / Colored Pencils / Crayons Scissors Hole Puncher Yarn or twine Directions 1. Draw a spiral shape onto a paper plate with a marker. 2. Use markers/paint/colored pencils/crayons to make designs/patterns on the entire surface of the paper plate. 3. Once the plate is dry, cut along the spiral line from the outside to the center of the paper plate. 4. You can add eyes/tongue to make the face. 5. With the tip of the scissors or hole puncher, poke a small hole above the snake’s eyes. 6. Thread your twine or yarn through the hole and double knot it at the back of the snake’s head. 7. Lift up the twine to make the snake slither and move….

How to Make a DIY Fairy House Here are a few supplies you may want to use: One of the best parts of making a DIY fairy house for kids is that you can use things you already have around the house, particularly those odd craft materials you can’t figure out what to do with. Craft sticks Container (this is a great chance to up cycle an old plastic container you can’t find the lid for!) Buttons colorful stones Glue cardboard box sticks/twigs pebbles/rocks leaves Empty tissue box You’ll need a plastic container of some sort. We used an old Rubbermaid container. Have your child fill it with dirt. Not too full – about half way. It doesn’t have to be exact. This project is…

by Jennifer Dawson, Freelance Contributor Most of the learning experiences that children have today are led by the use of technology (such as tablets or computers). Rather than going out into the world to study a subject, children and teens sit behind a device to read and watch media about a given topic. Studies have shown that this overuse of technology can actually change the way children think in a negative way. Decreased memory and a decreased use of imagination are just two of the side effects of excessive exposure to technology.  When it comes to learning about nature, the best teacher is nature itself. This is especially true when trying to teach children about weather. The sky, wind, and other current conditions give clues about future weather conditions…

by Jennifer Dawson, Freelance Contributor As spring is almost here, it’s expected that children will be eager to head outdoors for some active and healthful fun. As kids benefit from spending time in nature, it is important to give them the opportunities to do so as often as possible for their health and well-being. One of the best ways that children can enjoy fresh air and sunshine is to go camping, which is still one of America’s favorite outdoor activities. But before sending your little ones to nature camp, you may want to teach them a few basic skills to have a more enjoyable time while camping. Learning to cook, in particular, will always be a useful skill that serves your children well in camp and will…

Today we’re sharing some short blog posts from the 2nd graders from Ms. Rumsey’s Class at Salem Lutheran School. The students were visited by our Traveling Naturalist Sama and had an opportunity to meet several of our educational animals. Miss Sama Today I learned about some really cool animals.   There was a Snake, a really cute Bunny, Millimeter and a Cockroach.   It was really fun we got to touch them too. We learned that bugs are really important because they help us live. One time some people got all the wolfs and took them to a different place and the deers were so happy they ate all of the plants but they ran out of food so the government said to let the wolf’s back…